Water-wheel



(No Model.)

H. BURRILL.

WATER WHEEL.-

No. 420,988. I Patented Feb. 11, 1890.

W/T/VE88E8: INVENTOR I v By ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATENT ()FFICE.

HIRAM BURRILL, OF SANGERVILLE, MAINE.

WATER-WH EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,988, dated February 11, 1890.

Application filed June 1'7, 1889. Serial No. 314,618. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM BURRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sangerville, in the county of Piscataquis and State of Maine, have invented a new and use- .ful ater-Wheel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved lowpressure turbine water-wheel, and it belongs to that class wherein a rotary motion is imparted by the action ofstreams of water passing through chutes upon the buckets nearly tangentially with the periphery of the wheel, and a new manner of taking water for the same with its operating mechanism, as will hereinafter be fully described.

Throughout the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents'a perspective view of my improved water-wheel complete, showing the gate and operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the-wheel removed,

showing its construction and posit-ion of the buckets upon the same. Similar letters of reference represent correspondingly like parts throughout both figures.

In the drawings, B represents the chutebox, which is an annular-shaped structure having a central opening the size of the wheel to be inclosed and turned therein. The upper and lower portions of the chute-box are parallel and separated by diagonally-vertical partitions d at equal distances from each other, and extend through the annular por-- tion of the box in such manner that streams of water passing through the spaces between each partition will be conveyed into the central opening at their respective points a little less than tangent with the inner diameter of the said chute-boxthat is, with a right-hand wheel, as shown in the drawings. Each left-hand partition, forming theleft side of each chute, (which is the space between these partitions,) forms a line tangent with the inner circumference of the chute-box. Consequently whatever passes through each chute will be transmitted into the central opening of the chute-box within the circumference of its inner diameter. is somewhat less than the outer diameter of the chute-box B, each opening or chute between the partitions d must necessarily be wedge shaped. Consequently the speed of the water passing through them must be accelerated and forced into the central opening.

Passing around the circumference of the ob ute-box Bis a flat vertical ring 0, having inwardly-extending floors 6, attached to and projecting horizontally from its upper edge. Each floor 6 closely fits within and extends through the chutes between each partition d, and, being rigidly confined to the ring C, is raised and lowered with the latter to increase or diminish the size of the chutes and regulate the quantity of water passing therethrough. The ring 0 is raised and lowered by the mechanism now to be described.

Upon the upper surface of the chute-box B are secured four vertical standards 0, which have, passing through holes drilled in their upper ends, two horizontal shafts J, adapted to turn therein. Each shaft J is provided with two arms 7t, located near their opposite ends, rigidly fastened thereto and projecting As the inner outward as far as the outer edge of the chutebox B. The outer extremities of arms is are pivoted to connecting-rods l, which extend downward, and-are also pivotally connected to the ring 0, small projections h being cast upon this ring to pivot the connecting-rods Z thereto. I also attach to one end of each horizontal shaft J the cogged arms D, proj ecting inward toward each other diametrically opposite the projection of the arms is and adapted to engage and be operated by the worm-wheel E, located upon a vertical shaft f. The vertical shaft f is held in position and arranged to turn within the sustaining-standard G, which latter is rigidly fixed in-position upon the upper surface of the chute-box B. It can now be readily understood that by revolving the vertical shaft f in either direction the ring 0, with its attached floors e, wi1l, by the intermediate mechanism described, be raised or lowered, and thus regulate the size of the chutes.

Located in the central opening of the annular chute-box ]3,and adapted to turn horizontally therein, is the wheel proper, attached to a vertical wheel=shaft I, passing through its hub II and stepped at its lower end upon any usual bearing. This wheel is constructed with a curved rim A of a depth equal to the depth of the chute-box, and has water-buckets 7t projecting outward from the concavity of the said rim A.

The upper and outer edge of the rim A revolves very near the upper surface of the chute-box 13, as shown in Fig. 1. of the drawings, and the said rim is curved inward and downward therefrom the entire depth of the wheel, thus leaving a space within this 0011- cavity for the location of the water-buckets in direct communication with the chute-openings in the chute-box. The rim A is confined to the hub ll by means of the spokes Z), connecting them as shown in the drawings.

The water-buckets n, fastened to and projecting from the concaved portion of the rim A, are thin curved vanes located at equal distances from each other around the periphery of the wheel, and are in number one less than the number of chuteopenings in the chute-box B. Thus streams of water passing through the chute-openings will strike with dilferent proportions upon each watenbucket around the wheel, assisting materially in imparting and maintaining a rotary motion to the latter. The inner edges of the waterbuckets n conform to the concave surface of the wheel-rim, and their outer edges project as far as the outer and upper edge of the said rim A, the width of the latter determining the breadth or surface of the said buckets.

The buckets n, I do not attach to the rim of the wheel in diametric unison, for their outer edges are located a little to one side of a line passing through the center of the wheel and the point of attachment of their inner edges. Thus in a right-hand wheel, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the outer edge of each bucket n projects to the left of a diametrie line passing through the inner edge of the same, giving a broader surface to receive the impact of water from the surrounding chutes, and greatly adds to the force and power of the wheel so constructed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

An improved water-wheel consisting of the combination of the annular chute-box 13, having vertical tangential partitions (l, with chute-openings between them, the inc1osingring 0, with attached floors e passing through each chute, as described,the raising and lowering mechanism consisting of the standards 0, horizontal shafts J, with attached arms 7;, connecting-rods Z, pivoted to arms 7., and ring 0, the cogged arms D, also attached to shafts J and adapted to engage worm-wheel E, with its operating-shaft f, for the purpose described, with the improved wheel consisting of the inwardly-curved rim A, spokes I), and hub ll, attached to wheel-shaft I, and the curved water-buckets 11, attached to the concave surface of the rim, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof: I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witncsses.

IIIRAM BURRIL'L.

Witnesses:

L. A. BURRUJL, U. 'W. HAYES. 

